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I 









Little Christmas 









CHRISTMAS STOCKING SERIES 


LITTLE 

CHRISTMAS 


by 

John Howard Jewett 

Author of “ The Bunny Stories ” 


With eight illustrations in color 

BY ANNA MILO UPJOHN 


And numerous illustrations in black and white 

BY VARIOUS ARTISTS 


4 


NEW YORK 

FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY 


PUBLISHERS 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Conies Received 


SEP 5 1906 


_ '6-.s</oC> 

ASS/ a XXc, N( 

AT V 7 2 0 

COPY B. 


Copyright, 1906, by 
Frederick A. Stokes Company 
Published in August , 1906 


Little Christmas 














Little Christmas 


i 

WHY SANTA CLAUS CAME WITH 
HIS FLYING TEAM 

on, Nunkie, 
^ everybody will get 
ahead of us down town, 
if we wait any longer,” 
shouted Jack to his Uncle 
Ned. 

“Time enough yet to 
buy out all the shops — so 
save your lungs, Jack, for 


3 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


next year’s foot-ball game,” 
replied the uncle. 

“Next year is a long way 
off and Christmas isn’t; 
please hurry up,” urged 
Jack, tugging at his uncle’s 
coat sleeve. 

“Run along and I’ll be 
with you in a minute; I’m 
waiting to get a few straight 
tips about the other mem- 
bers of this family,” said 
Uncle Ned, turning back 
to speak with Jack’s mother 
at the door. 

“ I know what they 


4 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


want,” said the confident 
Jack, “but everything will 
be gone before we get there, 
if you stop to write a book 
about it.” 

“I’ll write a book about 
a boy who couldn’t wait to 
grow up, and talked so 
much that his teeth fell 
out,” jokingly answered 
the indulgent uncle as 
he joined the impatient 
youngster. 

“You can do that after 
Christmas, Nunkie, let’s 
hurry now,” replied Jack, 


5 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


who was just old enough 
to take liberties with his 
“big chum,” as he some- 
times called his Uncle Ned. 

“Get on to your best 
gait, then, my boy, and we’ll 
catch the next car at the 
corner. We are two days 
ahead of Santa Claus, so 
don’t worry.” 

“You are good enough 
Santa Claus for me, or will 
be when we get there,” re- 
plied Jack, with a loyal grip 
of the hand he was clutch- 
ing in his own. 

6 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


“We’ll see about that; 
don’t be too sure,” said 
Uncle Ned, as this fancy- 
matched pair went on their 
merry way, to join the 
crowd of Christmas shop- 
pers which thronged the 
down-town streets on these 
last days before Christmas. 

December twenty-third 
was Jack’s birthday, and it 
was a standing joke in the 
family that Jack ought not 
to expect many birthday 
gifts because Christmas was 
near; and two days later 


7 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


when Christmas came, the 
same argument was used 
about his Christmas stock- 
ing because he had just 
had a birthday. 

Jack said it was “hard 
luck,” and wished he might 
have his birthday changed 
to June or July, just to see 
how it would work to have 
his birthday and Christmas 
farther apart. 

Some of his companions 
thought Jack fared pretty 
well on both days, for the 
holiday vacation always 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


found him well stocked 
with a pair of new club 
skates, or a coaster, or seal 
cap, with plenty of other 
things to match. 

There were persons in 
the neighborhood, who 
knew very little about boys, 
or had forgotten the time 
when they were not grown- 
ups, who said Jack was a 
“spoiled child,” and was 
bound to grow up proud 
and selfish. 

Jack’s Uncle Ned knew 
better, and kept right on 


9 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


helping to “spoil the child” 
by giving him small change 
for pocket money on the 
sly, in exchange for the 
privilege of sharing Jack’s 
confidence in a thousand 
and one little plans and 
secrets a real boy usually 
has on hand, and is glad 
to share with somebody 
who’ll “never, never tell.” 

That’s how it happened 
that Jack and Uncle Ned 
were out shopping for 
Christmas together on 
Jack’s birthday, and 


10 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


chanced upon “Shine-em- 
up,” the boot-black, in an 
alley-way close by the 
newspaper bulletin boards. 

As Uncle Ned stopped 
to glance at the news, a 
little fellow whose pale, 
thin face and gentle voice 
did not seem to match 
with his blacking-case out- 
fit, quietly said: 

“Shine, sir? Make ’em 
look like they were new, 
while you wait.” 

Before Uncle Ned had 
a chance to decline, Jack 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


promptly answered for him : 
“Yours don’t need shin- 
ing, but mine do. Will 
you pay for my shine, 
Nunkie? It is Shine-em- 
up, and I know him.” 

“Very well, go ahead, 
and be quick about it,” as- 
sented Uncle Ned, as he 
stepped a few feet away to 
read the second bulletin. 

Jack mounted the perch, 
and as Shine-em-up bent 
over his work Jack opened 
a chat by asking: 

“What’s that bit of fur 







LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


hanging on the string 
around your neck, Shiny?” 

“Rabbit’s foot; didn’t 
know it had slipped out- 
side my collar.” 

“What do you wear it 
for — to keep warm?” said 
Jack with a smarty-smart 
grin. 

“ Don’t try to be so 
funny,” replied Shiny. “It 
is only a charm.” 

“A charm — for what?” 
questioned Jack. 

“For good luck. I 
only wear it at Christmas- 


13 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


time to please Mammy,” 
said Shiny quietly. 

“Who’s Mammy — your 
mother?” asked Jack. 

“No. She’s just Mam- 
my, who lived with us 
down south, before my 
mother died, and I live 
with her now.” 

“Oh, a darkey is she?” 
said Jack. 

“She’s my Mammy, 
and is right good to me 
if her skin is coloured,” 
quickly retorted Shiny. 

“ That’s all right, Shiny,” 
14 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


said Jack good naturedly, 
“but what has the charm 
got to do with Christmas?” 

“Mammy says she 
’spects Santa Claus knows 
what to do when he sees a 
Rabbit’s-foot charm,” was 
the answer. 

“Santa Claus! You 
don’t believe in Santa 
Claus, do you?” said Jack 
rather pompously. 

“Why not? He has 
always been right kind to 
me,” answered Shiny. 

“But there isn’t any 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


Santa Claus, I’ve found 
that out,” said Jack. 
“Santa Claus is only make- 
believe, like my Uncle Ned 
when he puts on white 
whiskers and a fur coat, 
and takes the things off the 
Christmas tree. Nobody 
ever saw Santa Claus.” 

“I never saw him, but 
I’ve had the things Santa 
Claus brought,” Shiny in- 
sisted. 

“I tell you there isn’t 
any Santa Claus. It is 

only our own folks who 

16 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


get the Christmas things 
for us,” said Jack very 
positively. 

“Who gets them for 
us who haven’t any ‘own 
folks,’ if Santa Claus 
doesn’t? Next thing 
you’ll be trying to tell 
me there isn’t any Little 
Christmas,” said Shiny. 

“What are you talking 
about now? Who is Little 
Christmas?” asked Jack. 

“What! Don’t you 
know about Little Christ- 
mas ? That is strange,” said 
17 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


Shiny, looking up from 
his work. 

“Never heard of him. 
Who is he?” questioned 
Jack. 

“Why, Little Christmas 
is the Star-Child who 
sends Santa out with his 
dove-team before Christ- 
mas time,” answered Shiny 
earnestly. 

“Didn’t I tell you there 
isn’t any Santa Claus? 
Don’t you know that rein- 
deers can’t fly, and sleds 

can’t go skipping over the 

18 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


roofs of houses and chim- 
ney tops, ’way up in the 
air?” said Jack. 

“I’ve seen a balloon 
with folks in a basket go 
over the whole city, and 
you can see the doves fly- 
ing over there by the 
steeple any day,” replied 
Shiny. 

“That’s different; hello, 
Nunkie! How is that for 
a shine? Be through in a 
minute now,” said Jack as 
Uncle Ned, who had been 
listening to the conversa- 
19 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


tion, stepped round the 
corner into the alley-way. 

“I say, Nunkie,” con- 
tinued Jack, “Shiny thinks 
there is a truly Santa 
Claus, and he’s got a new 
wrinkle about a Little 
Christmas, the Star-Child, 
who sends him round. 
Did you ever hear of him ? ” 

“I heard what Shiny 
said, and perhaps he’s near- 
er right than you are. 
Stick to your Little Christ- 
mas, Shiny, and don’t try 
to outgrow Santa Claus, 


20 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


just because Jack thinks he 
has. Come on, boy, and 
let Shiny keep the change 
for Christmas,” said Uncle 
Ned as he handed Jack a 
silver quarter to pay for the 
shine — and away went the 
pair to finish their Christ- 
mas shopping 


21 


II 


T HE next morning an 
hour before sunrise 
Jack bounded out of bed 
and rushed into Uncle 
Ned’s room,, tripping over a 
foot-rest in his haste, and in 
a very loud whisper asked: 

“Are you awake, Nun- 
kie?” 

“ I was not, I am, and I 
shall be for the rest of the 
night, if you can find any 
more furniture to fall over 


22 






















/ 






























































* 






» 























* 







LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


in the dark. What’s up? 
This isn’t Christmas morn- 
ing.” 

“ I know that,” replied 
Jack, “but Shiny was right. 
I’ve seen them both.” 

“What are you talking . 
about, Jack? Whom have 
you seen? What’s the 
row, any way?” 

“Santa Claus and Little 
Christmas. Don’t you re- 
member Shiny said — ” be- 
gan Jack. 

“Never mind what 
Shiny said, don’t stand 


23 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


there shivering. Crawl 
under the blankets here, 
and cut it short; this is 
no time for a town-meet- 
ing,” interrupted the sleepy 
uncle. 

Jack didn’t wait for a 
second invitation, and as 
soon as he could smuggle 
under the blankets he be- 
gan again : 

“There is a Santa Claus 
and a Little Christmas; 
I’ve seen and talked with 
both this very night.” 

« Better keep the news 


24 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


till morning; no danger of 
its spoiling in this weather. 
Go to sleep and tell me 
about it later, Jack, I’m 

too sleepy now.” 

“But you wouldn’t be- 
lieve your own eyes, Nun- 
kie, if you had seen what 
happened in my room,” 
continued Jack eagerly. 

“ Probably not, my eye- 
sight is failing for lack of 
sleep. Be kind to your 

aged uncle, Jack; my edu- 
cation can wait till day- 

light,” yawned Uncle Ned. 


2 5 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


“Strangest thing you 
ever saw, Nunkie. I didn’t 
believe Shiny, but Shiny 
was right, and I’ve seen his 
Little Christmas and Santa 
Claus, and his flying team. 
Say, will you listen a min- 
ute, Nunkie?” 

“Well, I suppose I must. 
Keep right on with your 
story, Jack, don’t mind 
me; Christmas comes 
but once a year. If you 
can’t wait I’ll try to 
hear; cut it short, don’t 
tickle my ear,” drowsily 
26 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


answered patient Uncle 
Ned. 

“It was this way,” said 



Jack, “I woke up in the 

night and heard a jingle 

27 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


outside, and in less than a 
minute I saw coming right 
up to my window through 
the moonlight the queerest 
team of big white doves, 
hitched to a beautiful 
coach.” 

“On wheels or runners?” 
interrupted Uncle Ned. 

“Neither,” replied Jack. 

“The coach was a great 
open shell with scalloped 
sides just like those we 
found on the sea-shore, 
only ever so much larger, 
and on the front seat was a 


28 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 

boy-Santa Claus driving 
the doves, and on the back 
seat was the Star-Child all 
in white, with a smiling 
face, who looked just like 
a picture-angel.” 

“That’s a new kind 
of a turnout,” remarked 
Uncle Ned;' “did you get 
up to watch the show?” 

“No, I sat up in my 
bed,” said Jack, “just in 
time to see the team stop, 
and hear the driver say: 
‘This is where Jack lives,’ 
and the next thing I knew 


29 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


the boy-Santa Claus came 
right in through the win- 
dow and said: ‘Hello, 
Jack, you’ve outgrown me, 
but I knew you when 
you were a little shaver. 
Have you outgrown your 
Christmas stocking yet?’ 
and then he winked both 
eyes and pointed to the 
team outside.” 

‘‘Well, what did you 
say?” asked Uncle Ned, 
now wide awake and in- 
terested. 

“I didn’t know what to 


30 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


say,” replied Jack, “so I 
asked him who the other 
was in the coach, and 
Santa said: ‘That is Little 
Christmas, the Star-Child 
Shiny told you about yes- 
terday, who sends me 
round to hunt up the 
Christmas stocking fillers. 
Perhaps you can guess 
why. we are out with the 
dove team to-night?’ 
Then he winked again 
and looked around my 
room.” 

“What did you guess 

3 1 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


his errand was?” quietly 
asked Uncle Ned. 

“I said they might be 
looking up places to leave 
things Christmas eve,” an- 
swered Jack, “but Santa 
said that was only part of 
his errand, and told me 
they were out jogging 
those who had too much 
to remember those who 
had too little, and he said 
Little Christmas wanted to 
know what I had planned 
for empty stockings. 

“When I asked Santa 


32 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


what he meant,” continued 
Jack, “Santa said there 
would be thousands of 
empty stockings Christmas 
morning, unless everybody 
tried to help him a little, 
in their own neighborhood 
at least, and then he picked 
up my new birthday suit 
and asked me if my old one 
wouldn’t do to keep Shiny 
warm this winter. Then 
I knew what he was driv- 
ing at, and told him we 
would take care of Shiny, 
for I had more than old 


33 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


clothes that I could spare. 
Santa thanked me and said: 

‘ I guess you’ll do without 
any more jogging,’ and off 
he went, winking and 
blinking both eyes, until 
he. was back on the driver’s 
seat.” 

“Is that all?” asked 
Uncle Ned. 

“Oh, I forgot,” quickly 
replied Jack, “Just as they 
started off Santa shouted 
back: ‘Little Christmas 
wishes you to give his love 
to your Uncle Ned in the 


34 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


morning — You needn’t 
wake him up to-night — he 
is the kind that doesn’t 
need any jogging — Merry 
Christmas to you both,’ — 
and then they were off and 
out of sight before I could 
answer.” 

“Very kind indeed of 
Little Christmas to men- 
tion me,” said Uncle Ned 
very quietly, and added, 
“You are a pretty good 
dreamer for your age, 
Jack.” 

“You think I was 


35 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


dreaming, do you,” an- 
swered Jack. “Do you 
suppose it was only a dream 
after all?” 

“It isn’t necessary for 
me to suppose anything 
about the story,” slowly 
replied Uncle Ned. 
“That’s your hunt, not 
mine, Jack, but you seem 
to have got a straight tip 
from Little Christmas, 
dream or no dream. 

“And now, Jack, let’s 
have a little nap before the 
breakfast bell rings, and 
3 6 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


then we’ll have a whole 
day to give to Santa Claus, 
Little Christmas and those 
empty stockings.” 


37 


Ill 


D OWN in the tene- 
ment district on 
Christmas morning a stout, 
smiling coloured “Auntie” 
was standing by a basement 
doorway where a small sign 
read, “Washing done here,” 
and telling her neighbours 
all about Shine-em-up’s 
and her own Christmas 
presents. 

“Sho’s yer born, Santa 
Claus’s reindeers an’ sled 

38 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


lef’ a keartload o’ Christ- 
mas truck in dis yere 
basement las’ night. Dat 
bressed chile done got 
through wif toting a 
blacking-box any mo’, 
befo’ school, arier school, 
or holidays. 

« Sho’s I’m his ole 
Mammy, dat orph’n chile’s 
gwine ter be took out o’ de 
streets for good and all, 
for the gemman done tole 
me plain dat Little Christ- 
mas had ’pinted him gard- 
gion fer de chile an’ his 


39 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


Mammy, fo’ever an’ ever 
— Amen !” 

* * * 

A few years later two 
college chums were talking 
with a jolly visitor, on the 
campus, who had come to 
town to see the boys play 
in the great football game 
of the season, and the 
chums both called him 
“Uncle Ned.” 

One of the chums was 
Jack, “Big-hearted Jack,” 
the “spoiled child,” — and 
the other was Edward 


40 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


Blank, Jr., once known as 
“Shine-em-up,” and often 
proudly referred to by 
Uncle Ned as “My adopted 
nephew, the boy who 
discovered < Little Christ- 
mas.’ ” 

And when Christmas 
Day comes round from year 
to year, Uncle Ned always 
closes his after-dinner 
speech by saying: “Shiny 
was right! Santa Claus is 
all right! Little Christmas 
is all right! We are all 
right! Hey, boys? 


41 


LITTLE CHRISTMAS 


“ For Christmas-time still brings good 
cheer. 

We’ll make it last from year to 
year, 

With a Merry Christmas to all! ” 


42 


Uncle Rube’s 
Christmas Puzzle 






























































Uncle Rube's 
Christmas Puzzle 



JT seems to 
me, by all ac- 
counts, that we are going 
to have a pretty slim Christ- 
mas this year,” said Un- 
cle Rube to a group of 
children gathered about 
him in the carriage-house, 
one Saturday afternoon a 
few weeks before the hol- 
idays. 

There were four of us 


45 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


children, and “Uncle 
Rube” was really nobody’s 
uncle, although everybody 
in the village, old and 
young, had called him Un- 
cle Rube so long that he 
seemed himself to have 
forgotten that he ever had 
been known by any other 
name. 

Our father was the 
village physician, and our 
Uncle Rube was his 
“Man Friday,” who took 
care of father’s two horses 
and made himself gen- 

46 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 

erally useful about the 
place. 

Uncle Rube’s remark 
put what he would have 
called a “wet blanket” 
upon the conversation, 
which up to that time had 
been very lively. Each of 
us, in turn, had been eager- 
ly telling Uncle Rube what 
we were going to buy for 
ourselves with our Christ- 
mas money. 

Ever since we could re- 
member, Thanksgiving Day 
and Christmas had been 


47 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


the happiest days of all the 
year at our house; and the 
month between Thanks- 
giving and the holidays had 
always seemed the longest 
month in the whole year 
while waiting for Christ- 
mas to come. 

Santa Claus had always 
been good to us, but there 
was a growing suspicion, 
encouraged by the two 
older children, that Santa 
Claus did not always know 
just what we wanted most 
of the new things we had 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 

seen in our occasional visits 
to the Center, where the 
big stores seemed to be 
overflowing with holiday 
gifts. 

This year we were going 
to try a new plan. Our 
father, who had overheard 
us talking about this sub- 
ject a few evenings before, 
had quietly remarked that 
perhaps it would be a better 
plan to let each one of us 
be his own Santa Claus, 
and save our busy father 
and mother and good 


49 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


Santa Claus the risk of 
making any more mistakes. 

We did not really mean 
to seem to be ungrateful or 
fault-finding, but when we 
tried to tell him so, he 
good-naturedly said “Oh, 

I know all about it. I 
was once a boy myself.” 

Then with a merry 
twinkle in his kindly gray 
eye, he told us to hang up 
our stockings that very 
night, and in the morning 
we would find our Christ- 
mas allowance, all in cash, 


50 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


in advance, to spend as we 
pleased in doing the Santa 
Claus act for ourselves. 

As I have told you, there 
were four of us children, 
Norman, Hester, Philip 
and Ruth, and you must 
guess which one is relating 
this story of an old-time 
Christmas, for I shall never, 
never tell. 

The carriage-house was 
a favourite retreat for us 
children, especially in cold 
weather, when Uncle Rube 
usually had a cozy fire in 

51 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


his “den,” as he called his 
sleeping-room, which was 
a corner partitioned off in 
the loft. 

Here he had his bunk 
and great wooden chest, 
for he had been a sailor, 
and here he spent a good 
share of his time between 
meals, “fixin’ things,” and 
trying to “bring up the 
doctor’s children in the 
way they should go.” His 
remark about the prospects 
for a “slim Christmas” set 
us all to thinking and won- 


5 2 






THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


dering what he meant, for 
we had just told him all 
our plans. 

Norman, the eldest, had 
decided that he would buy 
a pair of club skates; Philip 
thought he had money 
enough to buy a cheap 
rocking horse, to ride in 
the house on stormy days; 
Hester wanted a new sled 
with the name “White 
Star” painted upon it, and 
little Ruth, the youngest, 
had seen a dolly with real 
bangs, and eyes to open 


53 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


and shut, which she was sure 
could not cost any more 
than the bright silver dollar 
which she had found in the 
toe of her stocking. The 
silence at last was broken 
by Philip, who bravely re- 
marked : — 

“I think it’s going to be 
the best Christmas we’ve 
ever had, Uncle Rube, and 
I don’t see what you mean 
by calling it ‘slim,’ when 
every one of us can get 
just what we want.” 

‘‘Maybe so, maybe so, 
54 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


but that depends,” said 
Uncle Rube. “I never 
got much comfort out of 
making presents to myself, 
but you probably know 
more than I do about such 
things. Guess I shall have 
to overhaul my chest, and 
get my old Christmas arith- 
metic and work out the 
puzzle myself.” 

Just then the supper bell 
rang, and we left Uncle 
Rube alone in his snuggery, 
without giving him a 
chance to explain what he 


ss 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


meant by his Christmas 
arithmetic. 


Within a few days, how- 
ever, some very strange 
things happened, and both 



Rube had a lot of secrets 
to keep for us all, and his 
roomy chest was used to 
hold the mysterious pack- 
ages that we had secretly 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 

given to him to hide away 
for Christmas. 

The keeping of the se- 
crets was the hardest part, 
but with the help of our 
good mother, and a great 
deal of sly dodging about 
with packages, the four se- 
crets were kept, and not 
one of the children found 
out what the others had 
done, excepting one secret, 
which they kept among 
themselves for a surprise 
for father, mother and 
Uncle Rube. 


57 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


After talking the matter 
over for a long time and 
finding it very hard to 
agree upon just the right 
things to get for them, 
Norman settled the ques- 
tion by saying: 

“Oh, I will tell you 
what will be a good plan. 
Everybody loves flowers. 
Let us take the money we 
have saved to the florist and 
buy three of the prettiest 
plants we can get, and put 
them in the breakfast-room 
on Christmas morning for 
58 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


father, mother, and Uncle 
Rube.” 

Philip thought Uncle 
Rube would like a pair of 
fur gloves instead, but 
Hester said she knew Un- 
cle Rube would take just 
as good care of a little 
plant in the snuggery as he 
did of the horses, and it 
would be something green 
and lovely to look at all 
winter long, when he 
didn’t have any children 
around to bother him. 

When Christmas morn- 


59 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


ing came at last the chil- 
dren were all out of bed 



before it was hardly light 

enough to see where the 

60 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


stockings were hung by 
the great open fireplace in 
the library. In less than 
five minutes the stockings 
were down and emptied 
on the rug in front of the 
fire, and they were de- 
lighted with the pretty 
gifts Santa Claus, or some- 
one else had sent. 

But what surprised 
them most was to find in 
each stocking a package 
from each of the other 
three children, and these 

are the gifts they had 

61 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


bought for each other 
when the secrets were all 
out: 

Norman had given 
Philip a box of water-col- 
our paints, a handsome 
book for Hester, and a 
pretty music-box for little 
Ruth. 

Philip had bought for 
Norman a story-book that 
he long had wanted, and 
for Hester and Ruth each 
a pair of nice fur-trimmed 
gloves. 

Hester had given Nor- 

62 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


man and Philip each a 
pair of warm red mittens, 
and for Ruth had found a 
dolly book, full of cunning 
figures of all sorts of black 
and white dollies; 

Little Ruth with her 
mother’s help had chosen 
a set of dominoes for Nor- 
man, a book for Philip, 
and for Hester a doll’s tea- 
set. 

All these presents were 
in, or tied to the stockings, 
and when they had all 
been unwrapped and ad- 

63 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


mired the children were so 
happy that they had forgot 
all about the things they 
had first planned to get for 
themselves. 

The next thing to do 
was to get Uncle Rube to 
bring the three potted 
plants, which he had 
hidden away in his den, 
for a surprise for the father 
and mother, and more than 
all to himself. 

When they went to the 
breakfast-room to arrange 
the plants, each having a 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


card with the name and a 
“Merry Christmas from all 
the children,” they found 
another strange thing had 
happened; for there beside 
each of the children’s 
chairs they found the very 
things they had given up 
buying for themselves, with 
a pretty Christmas card 
tied with a ribbon on each 
gift, all labeled with “A 
Merry Christmas from 
father and mother, by the 
advice and consent of Un- 
cle Rube.” 


6S 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


Norman looked at his 
skates, Philip at his rock- 
ing-horse, Hester at her 
sled and Ruth hugged her 
dolly, until Norman said 



there must have been more 
secrets going on in that 
house than anybody but 
Uncle Rube knew about. 

When the others came 
to breakfast and saw the 


66 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


dainty plants and read their 
cards, they were as much 
surprised and pleased as 
the children had been with 
their gifts, and all had 
a merry time in telling 
each other how slyly their 
mother and Uncle Rube 
had planned it all for them. 

The doctor said it was 
the best Christmas spread 
he had ever seen in the 
family, although he had 
missed a lot of pleasure in 
not having the privilege of 
buying anything himself, 
67 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


for there had been so many 
Santa Clauses racing about 
the house with “mystery” 
written all over their faces 
that he had felt it would 
be safer to be simply a 
spectator this time. 

While they were looking 
over the gifts, one of the 
children remembered Un- 
cle Rube’s remark about 
his “Christmas arithmetic,” 
and asked him to show it 
to them. Uncle Rube 
slowly unfolded two pieces 
of paper and asked the 
68 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


children how many four 
times one made. Philip 
promptly answered “Four,” 
and to prove that Philip 
was right, Uncle Rube 
took the four presents they 
had found in the breakfast- 
room, and putting them 
side by side, said: 

“Here is what you 
would have had if you had 
bought what you wanted 
for yourselves, and I have 
worked out the puzzle on 
this sheet of paper, like 
this: 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


FOUR TIMES ONE 

Norman 

Philip 

Hester 

Ruth 

Skates 

Horse 

Sled 

Dolly 

from 

from 

from 

from 

Himself 

Himself 

Herself 

Herself 


Then the children saw . 
in a minute what he meant 
by four times one. 

After spreading the other 
sheet of paper on the table, 
Uncle Rube then asked 
how many four times four 
ones made in Christmas 
arithmetic. 

Norman said that wasn’t 
the kind of a book they 
studied in his school, and 


70 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


asked if it was some new 
kind of a puzzle. 

Uncle Rube said it 
might be, that he had been 
counting up the presents 
they had bought with their 
own money, and the an- 
swer was “15 and one 
over.” 

Philip, who had been to 
school but one term, said 
he did not know what that 
meant, and Uncle Rube 
replied: “That is where the 
Christmas puzzle comes 
in,” and added that he 


71 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


would show them on his 
memorandum sheet how 
to work it out. They all 
gathered about the paper, 
which was ruled into 16 
spaces, and all the spaces 
on the plan were filled 
with the names and gifts, 
each on a separate space, 
and all were filled but one, 
and in this he had written, 
as you will see the letters, 
“ T. E. S.” 

When they had read and 
counted them all, and 
found there were just fif- 


72 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


FOUR TIMES FOUR ONES 


Norman 

Philip 

Hester 

Ruth 

Book 

Book 

Book 

Book 

from 

from 

from 

from 

Philip 

Ruth 

Norman 

Hester 

Dominoes 

Paint-Box 

Tea Set 

Music-Box 

from 

from 

from 

from 

Ruth 

Norman 

Ruth 

Norman 

Mittens 

Mittens 

Gloves 

Gloves 

from 

from 

from 

from 

Hester 

Hester 

Philip 

Philip 

Father 

Mother 

Uncle Rube 

nr 

Plant 

Plant 

Plant 

i * 




E. 

v 



Q 




J. 

From all the children 



teen, as Uncle Rube had 
said, not one of them could 
guess the meaning of the 
three letters in the open 
space in the lower right- 
hand corner. After study- 


x 


73 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


ing awhile they gave it up 
and asked Uncle Rube to 
tell them what it meant. 

“Well,” said he, “that 
open space means a good 
deal at this time of the 
year, and I’m afraid some 
of us would have forgotten 
that part of our Christmas 
arithmetic if your mother 
had not thought of it for 
us. While I have been 
busy doing Santa Claus 
errands for you all, and 
helping her to keep your 
secrets, she has been think- 


74 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


ing about these letters. 
The T. E. S. down in the 
corner stand for ‘The 
Empty Stockings,’ and I 
have got a bushel basket 
full of your outgrown toys 
and books and clothing, 
that your mother has fixed 
up already for you to fin- 
ish up the puzzle with.” 

This announcement was 
followed by a chorus of 
‘‘May I go with you — 
May I go with you, Uncle 
Rube?” 

To this he replied: ‘‘I 


75 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


shall need you all to help 
me wrap up the packages, 
while your mother is writ- 
ing the cards to tell which 
package is best for a little 
girl or little boy, or their 
older brothers and sisters, 
if they have any, but I am 
not going with the pres- 
ents this time.” 

Then our father said: “I 
should be glad to let you 
all go, and play Santa 
Claus in earnest, but one 
horse is lame, and I must 

use the other for my visits 

76 



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THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


this morning, but I have 
appointed Newspaper 
Johnnie to act as Santa 
Claus to-day among the 
poor children in the mill 
district, and he will be here 
with his donkey and box- 
sled at io o’clock to take 
the packages.” 

When Philip asked how 
Newspaper Johnnie would 
know how to find the 
right children, Uncle Rube 
replied: 

“Johnnie is one of the 
grown-up poor children, 


77 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


himself, and though he is a 
cripple, and has lived all 
his life in the crowded 
tenements near the mills, 
it will not be the first 
time he has played Santa 
Claus for your father and 
mother, before you chil- 
dren were old enough 
to know what Christmas 
really means. 

“He will make no mis- 
takes in finding the right 
places, and when he comes 
back some day to tell you 
about his trip, you will 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 

think that he has been 
reading a story-book about 
good fairies.” 

“That reminds me,” said 
our father, “of a remark 
Johnnie made to me yes- 
terday, when I spoke with 
him about these empty 
stockings: ‘It’s queer, 
Doctor,’ said he, ‘how 
things work down our way 
at Christmas time. The 
gold dollars that Santa 
Claus drops into the poor 
children’s stockings all 
tumble out of the holes 


79 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


and get lost in the cracks 
in the floor.’ 

“When I asked Johnnie 
what made him think San- 
ta Claus left gold dollars, 
he said: ‘Because the 
stockings were always 
empty, and the holes were 
big enough to let the gold 
dollars through, and if the 
presents were bigger some 
of them would be found 
there in the morning.’ ” 

The children were dis- 
appointed in not being able 
to share the trip, but the 
80 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


good mother told them 
the presents would carry 
their own Christmas mes- 
sages, and that her darlings 
ought to be glad that some 
of the things that had given 
them so much pleasure in 
the past could be made to 
do double service to-day in 
making happy for a little 
while a few children, less 
fortunate, who found no 
Christmas gifts in their 
poor, empty stockings this 
morning. 

Newspaper Johnnie, 

81 


THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE 


with his donkey and sled, 
came promptly on time, 
and for many years after he 
was known as our Santa 
Claus, who helped us to un- 
derstand the real meaning 
of Uncle Rube’s Christmas 
Puzzle. 


82 


When Santa Claus Was 
a Little Boy 



WHEN SANTA CLAUS WAS 
A LITTLE BOY 



N that ever and ever so 
long ago — 


When Santa was only a 
dear little boy, 


He never had heard how the Christ- 
mas trees grow, 

Nor seen Christmas stockings all 
hung in a row, 

To hold Christmas gifts that the 
children enjoy. 

Not a gift in his stocking did Santa 
Claus find — 

In that ever and ever so long ago : 

Which may be the reason he now is so 
kind, 

And comes every Christmas Eve, just 
to remind 

The children to hang up their 
stockings, you know. 


85 


SANTA CLAUS 


When the house is all still, and the 
children asleep, 

When the long night hours so tard- 
ily go; 

When even a mouse would not ven- 
ture to peep — 

Then, sly Santa Claus down the chim- 
ney can creep, 

And then — how the stockings and 
Christmas trees grow ! 

How sad and how strange to us it 
would seem 

To have lived in that ever so long 
ago — 

Before Santa came with his pack and 
his team 

To bring us his greetings — and pass 
like a dream, 

And leave not a foot-print or track 
on the snow. 

It may be that Santa had some kind 
of fun — 

In that ever and ever so long ago; 

86 







SANTA CLAUS 


But now, can you guess why Santa 
had none 

Of Christmas-time gifts in his stock- 
ing — not one; 

While all the world waited for 
Christmas to grow? 

The answer is easy: when Christmas 
was new 

The Christmas-time helpers were 
fewer than now; 

There were no Christmas trees, and 
the stockings were few, 

And both needs must wait until Santa 
Claus grew, 

To gladden the children by show- 
ing us how. 

Till Santa began he could not receive, 

In that ever and ever so long ago; 

For, of course, there was no other 
Santa to leave 

The children their gifts on each 
Christmas Eve, 

As our Santa comes with gifts to 
bestow. 


87 


SANTA CLAUS 


When Santa Claus grew to a big, 
jolly man — 

In that ever and ever so long ago; 
He loved little children, and so he 



To make others happy — as every one 
can 


Wherever we live, or wherever 
we go. 

And ever since then dear Santa has 
found 

A host of kind helpers to share in 
his joy, 


88 


SANTA CLAUS 


And children to welcome — for Santa 
is bound 

To make Christmas merry — and all 
the year ’round 

A merrier world than when he was 
a boy. 


89 






JacK Horner’s 
Christmas Corner 







JACK HORNER S CHRISTMAS 
CORNER 

TITTLE JACK HORNER 
sat in his corner 
Expecting his Christmas 
plum : 

With a whole week to wait he sat 
there in state, 

Impatiently sucking his thumb. 



Jack’s pets were all there, close by his 
high chair; 

Dog Towser, and Tabby the cat, 
Canary-bird Dickey, and also a tricky 
Poll Parrot who opened the chat. 


“Wake up!” Polly said, “wake up, 
sleepy-head, 

That stub of a thumb isn’t pie, 

Nor is it a plum — don’t sit there so 
glum, 

As If you were going to cry. 

93 


JACK HORNER 


“The folks are away — they’re shop- 
ping to-day 

To fill up the stockings, you know; 

Their plans I have heard, and I give 
you my word 

The presents will make a fine show. 

“They’re going to buy the gifts on 
the sly, 

And keep them all secret and mum 

Till Christmas is here — don’t worry, 
my dear, 

Their Jack will have more than a 
plum. 

“When the folks come back there’ll ! 
be gifts for Jack 

In every big parcel you see; 

And something there too for each one 
of you, 

And a beautiful present for me. 

“Grandfather, grandmother, ‘little 
Kid’ and her mother 

Have planned all the best things to 
buy, 


94 



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JACK HORNER 


To give to each other: Little Kid says 
to her brother, 

Dear Jack will have oceans of pie. 



5 " 

“But what troubles me — and you will 


agree — 

Is how we can manage to do 

95 


JACK HORNER 


The same by others: Now, sister 
and brothers, 

Please say how the notion strikes 
you?” 


Then old Towser barked, and gravely 
remarked : 

“I propose we ask Jackey to run 
Right down to the store, and buy for 
the four 

A nice Christmas gift for each 
one.” 


Little Dickey piped up, “Send mother 
a cup 

And saucer of china, from me,’’ 
And Tabby with mews, said, “I think 
I will choose 

For grandma, a caddy for tea.” 


Then Towser looked wise and said, 
“I’ll surprise 

Grandpa Horner with something 
that’s good; 


96 


JACK HORNER 


He has slippers to lend, so Jackey, my 
friend, 

Get a pipe of the sweet-briar 
wood.’’ 

Poll Parrot looked sly, as she cocked 
up her eye 

To remark, “Little Kid is my 
choice ; 

I taught her to talk before she could 
walk 

And now Pm improving her voice. 

“Now, Jackey, my dear, please lend 
me an ear 

And listen to this, my command, 

Or else I will scold — our piano is old, 

So buy her a new Baby Grand.” 

Cried Jack, in a pet, “How and where 
can I get 

These gifts without money or 
price?” 

“Just listen to me,” answered Poll, 
“and you’ll see 

’Tis as easy as giving advice.” 

97 


JACK HORNER 


“Now this is my plan: Go as fast as 
you can 

To Santa’s headquarters and say, 
We all wish to know where Christ- 
mas things grow, 



The place where they are given 
away. 


“Every one of us knows that a Christ- 
mas tree grows — 

And blossoms with gifts in a night; 
In Santa Claus’ pack is everything, 
Jack, 

And Santa will do what is right.” 

98 


JACK HORNER 


Jack put on his hat, said “Scat,” to 
the cat, 

To Towser a merry “Bow-wow!” 

To Dickey “By By,” and to Poll “I 
will try, 

I’m off to find Santa Claus now.” 

Just round the next corner, brave 
little Jack Horner 

Met Santa, and said with a smile: 

“Ah, how do you do, I’m glad to meet 
you, 

We’ve been waiting for you a good 
while.” 

Santa winked with one eye and said in 
reply : 

“ Let me guess why Poll sent you 
to me. 

You need my advice to get something 
nice 

To hang on your home Christmas 
Tree. 

“There’s a secret, my boy, about 
Christmas joy, 

A simple and beautiful plan; 


99 


JACK HORNER 


Santa Claus does his best, and leaves 
all the rest 

For others to do what they can. 

“What you have, you can share; now 
I’ll tell you where 

There are gifts without trouble or 
pay; 

Way down in the heart is a wonderful 
mart 

Where wishes are given away. 

“Of all gifts the best is love, and the 
test 

Is what the heart wishes to give 

Good wishes to all, though gifts may 
be small, 

Will last as long as we live.” 

J(c ifc 5fs * sfc 

Ah, Santa was wise ! such a charming 
surprise 

When the family gathered around 

Where the stockings were hung, for 
the girls and the boys 

A tree-load of presents was found. 


ioo 


JACK HORNER 


There were games, books and toys for 
the old and the young 
There was something for all — for 
you see 

Every one of them brought a kind 
loving thought 

To hang on their home Christmas 
Tree. 


IOI 




The Christmas Fairy 





This dear little girl had been waiting 
For Christmas, the longest long 
time, 

For good Santa Claus, and the glad- 
ness 

That comes when the Christmas 
bells chime. 

And over and over she counted 

The days, as the season drew near, 

Till only another to-morrow — 

Then Christmas would surely be 
here. 

Her own little stocking was ready 
To hang up where Santa could see, 
105 


THE CHRISTMAS FAIRY 


And a very large calico stocking 
To hang on her home Christmas 
tree. 

For Tiny’s young life had been fa- 
vored 

With blessings and bounties untold, 

And Santa Claus always had brought 
her 

Far more than her stocking could 
hold. 

“Day after to-morrow is Christmas, 
And then, oh, how glad I shall 
be!” 

Said Tiny that evening at bed-time, 
Her heart overflowing with glee. 

Alone in her own cozy chambers, 
When softly her prayers she had 
said, 

She wondered if Santa Claus really 
Would come with his reindeers and 
sled. 

When, suddenly breaking the silence, 
A musical tinkling drew nigh, 

106 


THE CHRISTMAS FAIRY 


And then a most wonderful vision 
Which seemed to come from the 
sky. 

She saw as it slowly came nearer, 
With only the moonlight between, 
A score of white doves, that were 
drawing 

The loveliest sleigh ever seen. 

Of pearl-tinted shell it was fashioned, 
With fluted and wide spreading 
sides, 

Like those she had seen, only larger, 
Left high on the beach by the tides. 
It floated in the air like a snow-flake, 
And seated within was a child 
As lovely and fair as an angel, 

Who peeped in at Tiny and smiled. 

In front perched a strange little driver 
Fur-robed like a young Santa 
Claus, 

Who guided the doves to her window 
And seemed for a moment to pause. 
The eyes of the driver were twinkling 
Like stars, in his bright cheery face, 
107 


THE CHRISTMAS FAIRY 


As he smilingly turned to the fairy 
And softly said: “This is the 
place !” 



Then instantly there, close beside her, 
The beautiful fairy-child came, 
And graciously bending above her 
He tenderly whispered her name. 

A voice like an echo of music 

Was saying: “Dear child, do not 
fear, 

We come with a message of Christ- 
mas, 

An errand of love and good cheer. 

My dear, trusty messenger Santa, 
Who often has been here before, 
108 












S 


















































































































































THE CHRISTMAS FAIRY 


Has whispered to me of your play- 
room 

And of all its bountiful store 
Of picture-books, dollies and play- 
things, 

And every new kind of a game — 
Day after to-morrow is Christmas, 

Perhaps you can guess why we 
came ?” 

Then Tiny’s blue eyes fairly sparkled 

With joy, as she sat up in bed, 

And roguishly peeped through the 
window 

Where Santa was waiting, and said, 
“I guess you are having a sleigh- 
ride 

To find out the places to leave 
The great loads of beautiful presents 

That Santa Claus brings Christmas 
Eve.” 

The fairy-child smiled as he answered: 

“You are right, we are trying to 
find 


109 


THE CHRISTMAS FAIRY 


How many sad hearts we can gladden 
With gifts from glad hearts that 
are kind. 

For Santa Claus loves all the children 
And knows where the friendless 
ones live ; 

To-night we have come for their pres- 
ents — 

Please tell me what you wish to 
give?” 

“To give?” questioned Tiny aston- 
ished, 

“I thought Santa Claus always 
gave !” 

And slowly her roguish smile faded, 
Her merry blue eyes became grave. 

A moment of silence and blushes; 
Then Tiny was out on the floor 

And clasping the hand of the fairy 
She joyfully opened the door 

That led to her own little play- 
room, 

And choosing the prettiest there — 


no 


THE CHRISTMAS FAIRY 


“Take these,” she exclaimed, “and 
tell Santa 

I have many more here I can spare, 



Of those who are friendless and 


sad ; 

For these will be better than nothing, 
And I shall be glad they are glad. 


hi 


THE CHRISTMAS FAIRY 


“I’ll only keep Margaret Dolly, 

The one I have always loved best, 

My own dear mamma made her 
wardrobe — 

But Santa can take all the rest. 

For I shall have more after Christmas 
And mine will be all fresh and new ; 

I hope there’ll be no empty stockings, 
And wish I had more to give you.” 

“God bless you !” the fairy-child 
whispered, 

“ ‘Of such is the Kingdom of 
Heaven,’ 

The spirit of Christmas is giving 
As freely as you have been given. 

Farewell, little friend of the friend- 
less; 

In gladness your Christmas shall 
dawn — 

A kiss on her forehead awoke her — 
The beautiful fairy was gone. 

Once more, wide awake, Tiny listened 
Alone where the pale moonlight 
gleamed, 


1 1 2 


THE CHRISTMAS FAIRY 


And wondered if all the bright vision 
Was only a dream she had dreamed. 
Whatever it was, little Tiny 

Was glad she had something to 
give 

To help fill the poor empty stockings 
In homes where the friendless ones 
live ! 


John Howard Jewett 









































































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